Safeguarding Sunday 16 11 2025
FIRST READING: Malachi 4.1-2
NEW TESTAMENT READING: 2 Thessalonians 3.6-13
GOSPEL Luke 19.41-44
This Sunday is are observing as Safeguarding Sunday. The Church of England and the Diocese of Southwark are committed to Safeguarding. This means that that every church and every event in the church need to be a safe space.
Safeguarding is the action taken by the church to promote a safer culture. This means that as a church we are committed to promote the welfare of children, young people and adults and ensure that any form of abuse does not happen in the church, seek to protect vulnerable adults and children who are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused. Safeguarding is to identify the person who may present a risk others and offer support to them while taking steps to mitigate such risks.
It is important to be aware of what the CARE ACT 2014 says in this regard:
What are the different types of abuse and neglect?
There are several types of abuse and neglect and include any kind of behaviour towards a vulnerable person that deliberately or unintentionally causes them harm. These are:
- physical abuse
- sexual abuse
- domestic abuse
- harassment and stalking
- female genital mutilation
- honour-based abuse
- children witnessing domestic abuse
- psychological abuse
- financial or material abuse
- modern slavery
- forced marriage
- neglect and acts of omission
- coercive control
- discrimination
- organisational
- child sexual exploitation
- mate crime
What do we do to be a Safe Space:
1 Promoting a safer environment and culture
2 Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children and vulnerable adults within the Church
3 Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
5 Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons
6 Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
We as Christians believe that every human is created in the image of God and therefore every life is sacred and need to be treated with dignity and respect. No human being should be subject to abuse and mistreatment. The church is an open space and, in the past, we hear that in many churches there has been abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. The victims of abuse then have to live a lifelong experience of trauma.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, spoke very highly of children, he said the kingdom of God belongs to them. He went to the extent of saying anyone who is a hindrance to a child should have a millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea, just to let the world know the care and protection that every child be given.
This Sunday as we observe safeguarding Sunday, we commit ourselves to be a safe church where all are welcome and all are valued and respected, where all are protected and especially the vulnerable adults and children are protected from any kind of abuse. This is important to us because this is both a legal and a spiritual obligation.